World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CONSTITUENTS OF TRIPHALA

Dr. Shobha Shrivastava*

ABSTRACT

Triphala, a well known ayurvedic formulation, is used against number of ailments since ancient times. It consists of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellerica in equal proportions. Triphala as a whole and its three individual constituents show specific antimicrobial activity against certain bacteria and fungi.Triphala is being extensively researched for its various therapeutic effects including its anti-caries, anti-oxidant,anti-colagenase, and anti-microbial activities. Antibacterial activity of aqueous extract of Triphala and its constituents was studies against three human pathogenic Gram negative bacteria namely P.aeruginosa, E.coli and k.pneumoniae and two human pathogenic Gram positive bacteria B.subtilis and S. aureus by cup-plate method. Triphala was found strongly bactericidal against P.aeruginosa with 1.8 cm of inhibitory zone. This was on account of T.chebula, which showed highest inhibitory zone against the same pathogen, followed by E.coli and other two Gram positive bacteria. T.bellerica however, showed maximum inhibitory activity against B.subtilis by showing 2.2 cm of inhibitory zone. It was confirmed that antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria was due to T. chebula and E.officinali, while antibacterial activity against Gram positive bacteria was on account of T.bellerica. Antifungal activity of Triphala and its constituents was studied against two pathogenic fungi viz. Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. Triphala was found almost equally effective against A.niger and C.albicans. Aqueous extract of E.officinalis showed potent antifungal activity against A.niger with an inhibitory of 3.4 cms.

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